"I was thinking about how people connected through hats, and so it's about sight, and taste, and touch," Jones, who also designs hats for Dior, told AFP at his studio in Covent Garden. "What is fashion about? Is fashion a uniform? Is fashion self-expression? Can fashion be fun? So that's why this collection came about," he said.

The centre of attraction was a Willy Wonka-esque top hat made of chocolate with a bite-size hole in its crown, which Jones crafted in collaboration with Paris-based patissiere Jana Lai. 

From plush berets for Princess Diana to towering headdresses strutted down Dior runways, Jones's hats have served as the crowning glory of celebrities and designers for over four decades.

Jones crafted his first hat when he was a student at London's Central Saint Martins out of a cereal box and scraps from his sister's blouse. That sense of whimsy and innovation never really went away.

"Everything else can be super serious, but fashion and hats need to be about celebrating life," he said. "Especially at the moment."

For the millinery guru, it was "strange" to be taking part in fashion week at a time of global political uncertainty. “But that's what fashion does. At least you can control how you get dressed in the morning."

Jones has collaborated with designers from Vivienne Westwood and Jean Paul Gaultier to Maison Margiela and Comme des Garcons, all while gracing the heads of A-listers -- including styling Rihanna in an embellished bishop's mitre for the Met Gala in 2018.

"People wear jackets and tailoring and shoes... But to show your individuality, maybe a hat is a very good way of doing that," said Jones.